University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey student-athlete Kaitlyn McKnight was announced as part of the 2025 cohort for the Creating Coaches program on Wednesday (Sept. 17) morning.

A joint effort between Hockey Canada and U SPORTS, the Creating Coaches program has been designed to increase the number of women coaches within hockey in Canada. Student-athletes will continue to play U SPORTS women's hockey while serving as assistant coaches for U13, U15 or U18 hockey teams in their respective communities. Each selected candidate will receive training, mentorship, education and an honorarium throughout the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.

"We are very excited to expand the Creating Coaches program to welcome even more incredible student-athletes from across U SPORTS this season, thanks to the generous financial support of the Hockey Canada Foundation," said Marin Hickox, vice-president of women's and girls' hockey for Hockey Canada. "Last season set a record for the most women coaching hockey in Canadian history, and we know that programs like Creating Coaches are critical for continuing to support the recruitment, retention and development of women and girls in hockey leadership roles. To each of our new Creating Coaches participants, congratulations on being nominated and selected to join this program. We cannot wait to follow your journeys behind the bench for years to come."
 
A fourth-year forward and nutritional science student with the Varsity Blues women's hockey team, McKnight was one of 12 student-athletes selected from across the country for the 2025 cohort. McKnight has been a member of two OUA championship teams (2023, 2025) with the Blues and was named a U SPORTS all-rookie during her 2022-23 debut season. The Barrie native has registered 24 goals and 24 assists in 81 OUA regular season contests ahead of the start her senior campaign in the Blue and White this fall.

2025 Creating Coaches Cohort
Grace Beer (Dalhousie University, AUS)
Sarah Bestic (University of Waterloo, OUA)
Anika Cormier (McGill University, RSEQ)
Hayleigh Craig (University of Alberta, CW)
Cailey Davis (Toronto Metropolitan University, OUA)
Kara den Hoed (Wilfrid Laurier University, OUA)
Alexa Giantsopoulos (York University, OUA)
Payton Hargreaves (University of New Brunswick, AUS)
Kaitlyn McKnight (University of Toronto, OUA)
Angélique Proulx (University of Ottawa, OUA)
Cassidy Rhodes (University of British Columbia, CW)
Jordyn Verbeek (Concordia University, RSEQ)